'Laughing Buddha' Poem

This blog is written as a response to a task assigned by Prakruti ma'am, Department of English MKBU. In this blog there is discussion on the poem "Laughing Buddha" written by Praveen Gadhvi.

Smiling Buddha was the code name of India's first successful nuclear weapon test on 18 May 1974. The nuclear fission type bomb was detonated in the Pokhran Test Range of the Indian Army in Rajasthan.

• What should be of a higher moral importance for governing bodies, national security or basic needs of its citizens? What do you think is Gadhvi's opinion about this?

Ans. In Pravin Gadhvi’s poem there is criticism of the nuclear power trial, because during 1974 India was under an economic breakdown. During that time, funds should be given for people who were going through difficult economic conditions, but rather it was given on this project. I think basic needs of citizens are more important than national security, because the country would be in a war that has very less possibility and even using nuclear weapons is rare because of the history of nuclear destructive power. So the decision of the nuclear power trial was a bad decision. 

• In light of Henri Bergson's essay titled "Laughter: An Essay On The Meaning Of The Comic" share your thoughts about the possible interpretations of Buddha's laughter in Gadhvi's poem.

Ans. 

During the class discussion we discussed what makes us laugh? a strange thing, a surprise, newness etc. As we know Buddha has conquered all his emotions so he is calm in every situation. But in the poem we find he laughs, this shows the irony. Buddha has spent his whole life spreading a message of peace and on his birth anniversary the nuclear weapon test is the next level of irony and added to that the project was also named the Smiling buddha. This matter itself is the irony and Gadhvi has known this and shared his thoughts as a poem. The laughter and a smile that is always strange with the name of the Buddha but as we say it is an irony that Biddha himself is laughing at the deed of the Indians. One laughs at the less knowledge of the matter of the factand the message of Buddha.

• The rise and fall of significance of a particular moment in history depends on the narrative that is built around it. Discuss this statement with specific reference to Laughing Buddha.

• Share your interpretation of the lines:  "What a proper time! What an auspicious day!”

The line “What a proper time! What an auspicious day” refers to a full moon night that is called Purnima and that is considered an auspicious day for Hinduism as well as on the Buddhism. The government always wants the attention of the public so the days which have any cultural or religious significance are chosen for such events. But if we look at the matter of fact that this line in the poem refers to an irony that hasn't the government found any other day for nuclear test then Buddha Purnima it rather seems ironical.  Or is it a well organised plan to implement this operation on this day to get the attention of the people. Whatever it was but it will always seem a laughable thing for the people because Buddha and nuclear power seem totally opposite.

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